A rustic backwoods cabin getaway may sound like a dream come true to many people… a place to unwind, relax, and get away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life. If you’re thinking of building a remote cabin in the woods, there are several obstacles you may face, specifically a lack of utilities.
For those lacking electricity, a generator is a common option. Other choices for alternate power might include solar panels or a small wind turbine that could be mounted on the cabin’s roof. With these choices, you will also need a battery system to store excess power for later use (like when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing).
The other primary challenge for remote cabins is a lack of running water. If you live in an area with underground water, digging a well may be a good option. There are also rainwater collection and distilling systems that can be installed, as well.
Once you’ve figured out your source for clean water, you’ll also have to determine what to do with waste water. For many, a septic system is the preferred choice. However, installing a new septic system can be prohibitively expensive, often times costing upwards of $20,000. One septic system alternative that is growing in popularity are composting toilet systems. Contrary to what you might think, composting toilets are clean and odorless. They handle all waste without producting any output besides a sanitary and dry compost that can be applied to your garden. The cost for a composting toilet system can range from $1,000 for a simple self contained unit to $3,500 for a very large, central system with multiple toilet fixtures. While this is still relatively expensive, from a comparative standpoint it is far less than a septic system installation.
It may be July, but now is a great time for organizing your holiday decorations. During the leisurely days of summer, take a few hours or a few days to pull out all the Christmas decorations and trimmings and reorganize them so they’ll be easier to find and use this coming holiday season.
When organizing holiday decorations, it’s usually best to group items by type. That is, Christmas lights should go in one box, ornaments in another, and so on. Take time to consider the way you’re storing each group of items. Wadding up your Christmas lights into one big ball probably isn’t the best storage method. And ornaments should be treated with care and packed accordingly so they don’t get damaged or broken while in storage.
For most people, the most expensive holiday decorating item is their artificial Christmas tree. One of the worst ways to store your artificial tree is in its original box. Not only are trees difficult to fit back into the original box, but the boxes are usually made of thin cardboard that breaks down easily, lets dust and dirt get in, and can also potentially attract insects. A better storage container for your tree (and any other holiday decorations, for that matter) would be any kind of specially designed container or bag that’s meant to be used year after year.
For more inforamtion on holiday storage, you might want to visit our sister site, The Christmas Tree Storage Shop. There you’ll find lots more information on getting your holiday decorations in order, as well as a line of storage products to help you accomplish the job.
If you are in the market for a new storm door handle, there are several important things you should know before you begin shopping…
The thickness of your door - Most storm doors will range anywhere from 1″ to 1-1/2″ in thickness. Be sure you know this dimension before you start shopping.
Mortise vs. Surface Mount - This one can be tricky to understand. For a quick and clear cut explanation of the difference, see the video below:
Hole pattern - If you’re like most people, you are probably buying a new handle set to replace an old one. If this is the case, you’ve already got some holes drilled in your door, and you want to be sure that the new handle set you buy will cover up those existing holes. It may also be advantageous to know this information so you can determine if you’ll need to drill any new holes for your new hardware. When shopping for your new hardware set, look for a detailed line drawing or trim plate footprints that you can use to compare to your old handle set.
Home Products ‘n’ More offers a variety of storm door hardware with free shipping and handling.
